November 29, 2017

Legislative leadership in both chambers and of both parties announced a bipartisan group of legislators will address the state’s sexual harassment policy.

The sexual harassment policy was last revised in 2008, which was also the last time legislators underwent sexual harassment training.

The group of legislators will work with the Legislative Council Service as well as outside attorneys to review the existing policy and recommend an updated draft policy to the Legislative Council. The Legislative Council, which is made up of members of each chamber, will then vote on adoption of the new policy in January.

Leadership announced that the working group will look at applying the policy to staff, contractors, lobbyists and outside vendors in addition to legislators as well as “clearly outlining terms of enforcement” and outlining protections for those reporting sexual harassment from any retaliation.

A few legislators, like Speaker of the House Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, and House Minority Leader Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque, seemed to acknowledge a problem with sexual harassment in the Roundhouse when they sent out a blanket press release today, almost a week after New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced she was implementing a voluntary training for lobbyists on sexual harassment, and Rep. Kelly Fajardo, R-Los Lunas, said in an open letter that she witnessed sexual harassment in the Roundhouse.

So far, however, there have been no specific, public reports of sexual harassment in the state capitol.

“My hope is that this effort doesn’t just result in a policy change, but in a cultural change at the Roundhouse,” Egolf said. “If we want our state to be safe and inclusive then we must make the halls of the Roundhouse safe and inclusive for all who work or visit there.”

“I look forward to working to ensure the victims have swift access to justice without fear of retaliation,” Gentry said.

Others praised the effort they just announced.

“I am confident the New Mexico State Legislature’s ‘No Harassment Policy’ will be stronger than ever to protect all of those who work in or visit their state capitol,” Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle, R-Portales, said.

“The working group is tasked with conducting research on needed policy changes to address sexual harassment in the Capitol,” Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said. “We intend to tackle this problem, and will take strong action.”

The 60-day legislative session ended Saturday with a down-to-the-wire agreement on a sweeping tax bill that will raise rates on e-cigarettes and new vehicles while nearly doubling an income tax credit for some families. The scaled-back version of House Bill 6 approved by the Senate in the last 20 minutes before the final bang of the gavel was a fitting end to a session dominated for better or worse by the state’s financial outlook.

Brian Egolf, speaker of the Democrat-controlled state House of Representatives, says the body is moving legislation faster than ever, clearing the way for reform of every level of state government. The House minority leader, Rep. James Townsend, R-Artesia, says Egolf doesn't ask for input or collaboration.

A panel of New Mexico legislators discussed a draft version of an updated sexual harassment policy Friday, a month ahead of the 2018 legislative session. This marks the first time the policy has been updated since 2008.

A panel of New Mexico legislators discussed a draft version of an updated sexual harassment policy Friday, a month ahead of the 2018 legislative session. This marks the first time the policy has been updated since 2008.

More New Mexicans would qualify for medical marijuana, and the 70,000-plus patients already in the state's medical cannabis program would have to deal with less paperwork under legislation approved by the state Legislature and sent to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. On Friday, the House passed Senate Bill 406, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, which would add more qualifying conditions for medical marijuana use and would allow patients in the program to renew their medical cannabis registry identification cards every three years instead of every year as now required.

Holtec International was in the news last month when the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission denied requests from some groups to hold an additional hearing over the company’s license to build an interim storage site in southeastern New Mexico to hold nuclear waste from commercial power plants.

Matthew Reichbach is the editor of the NM Political Report. The former founder and editor of the NM Telegram, Matthew was also a co-founder of New Mexico FBIHOP with his brother and one of the original hires at the groundbreaking website the New Mexico Independent. Matthew has covered events such as the Democratic National Convention and Netroots Nation and formerly published, “The Morning Word,” a daily political news summary for NM Telegram and the Santa Fe Reporter.
Matthew has appeared as a panelist for the Society of Professional Journalists’ New Mexico Chapter’s panel on covering New Mexico politics and the legislature.
A native New Mexican from Rio Rancho, Matthew’s family has been in New Mexico since the 1600s.